Twenty-one years after the VW Golf won the European Car of The Year (COTY) in 1992, the world’s most popular hatchback has done it again in 2013.

Not only did the MK7 Golf won, it won by a landslide margin. Garnering 414 votes, the German car has more than twice the votes of the first runner-up, the Toyota GT 86 / Subaru BRZ. The Volvo V40 won the third placing with 189 votes. The voting jury consists of motoring journalists from publications throughout Europe.

Nominees are judged based on criteria such as design, comfort, safety, economy, performance and environmental requirements. Technical innovation and value for money are also important factors.

On the Golf’s victory, the COTY committee has the following comments:

“The new Golf has been recognized by the Jury for its overall balance and the outstanding achievements in safety, fuel efficiency, dynamics and comfort. Almost familiar in looks, Golf VII is entirely new under the skin, with a lightweight structure based in the new MQB flexible platform of VW group for passenger vehicles with transversal powertrains. The nice-looking cabin, with a classic style and analogue instrumentation, is roomy and has materials of excellent feel which contribute to the perceived quality.”

I have been a car fanatic since 1989, when my father was changing our family car then to a Toyota Corolla 1.6 GL fitted with a Twin Cam 16 valve engine that was carburetor-fed, a big deal back in those days. The automobile technology and industry fascinates me and I hope to broadcast these interesting developments to everyone out there through this blog.